The present disclosure relates to power distribution networks, and more specifically to a system and method for providing block redundant backup power without utilizing an automatic static transfer switch.
As the size of data centers continues to increase exponentially, the number of devices required to support data center operations equally continues to increase. In order to support the growing number of devices (e.g., servers) required by data centers, operators are continually faced with managing the costs of efficiently powering these data centers. In context, power and cooling expenses can easily account for thirty percent or more of operating expenditures for most large data centers. Further, the capital expenditure by data center operators is equally increased due to the power and cooling hardware requirements for supporting additional data center devices such as servers.
A majority of data centers employ numerous pieces of hardware to implement power distribution networks. One of these pieces of hardware is an automatic static transfer switch (ASTS). An ASTS is designed to automatically switch between utility power and backup power (e.g., generator power) in the event of a power utility outage. ASTS devices are generally created by using power semiconductors (e.g., thyristors) to enable fast switching between power sources, generally requiring a quarter of a power cycle to switch between sources.
ASTS devices are generally used to switch the input of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) between utility power and backup power (e.g., generator power). In current data center deployments, ASTS devices are necessary if the data center uses flywheel-based UPS devices. Flywheel-based UPS devices provide numerous benefits over battery-based UPS devices including reduced maintenance, lower costs, and lower environmental impact. However, these benefits come at the cost of reduced duration of power output from the flywheel(s). That is, flywheel-based UPS devices provide a significantly duration of stored power output. Thus, when using flywheel-based UPS devices, data centers commonly are required to use ASTS devices to provide rapid switching between power sources in order to compensate for the shorter duration of stored power output.
While ASTS devices allow for the continuous supply of power and enable rapid switching between power supplies, the advantages provided by ASTS devices suffer from numerous deficiencies and tradeoffs.
First, ASTS devices are highly complicated electrical devices and data centers must add additional cable terminations and breakers in order to support the ASTS devices. Second, the ASTS devices introduce additional points of failure in the overall electrical topology of a data center and are prone to malfunctions. Adding additional points of failure increases the chances of an outage due to faults in the ASTS devices and, correspondingly, increases the chances of major revenue losses for data center operators. Third, ASTS devices are expensive devices which directly increase the capital expenditures of data centers and additionally increase operating expenditure due to ongoing maintenance.
Thus, there exists a problem in the current state of the art: how to reduce the costs and risks associated with ASTS devices while maintaining continuous uptime of a power distribution networks.